Forgiveness
by Purestrongpoem
Summary: It had been five hundred and eighty-three years since the last time, England executed Jeanne d'Arc. On the anniversary of her death, he had avoid France. But on one unexpected day, his past comes back to bite him or did it came back to heal him?


Purestrongpoem: I don't own Hetalia's characters. I don't think this one is as good as Broken Promise but I hope you still enjoy the story.

Forgiveness

It was a rainy day as people were either running to the nearest store to avoid being wet or they already knew and were holding umbrellas. A young man with blonde hair and bushy eyebrows was one of the people holding an umbrella and cursing the terrible weather. He ran towards a house where he pulled his umbrella back to its original position. Then he knocked on the door. A maid answered it and he was welcomed into the house. He untied his shoes and walked in. He asked the maid where France was and she pointed to a room across him. He thanked her and went in. He noticed France was sitting in front of a big window, watching the rain poured down on the window. He seemed awfully quiet unlike the usual France who was always annoying.

"You left some documents from the meeting and I am here to give it to you. But it isn't like I care that you forgot it. I didn't want to see you but Germany insisted that I give it to you," he said.

France turned around in surprise. "Oh, Angleterre. Merci."

France took the documents from England's hands. England noticed France's eyes were a little red. England took this opportunity to insult France.

"So I heard America was saying how you were showing off and flirted with another girl."

"Yeah..."

France's voice was quiet. He looked out to the window and smiled softly to himself. England didn't see the smile and thought he knew why France was down.

"Of course, she would have turn you down. Seriously, did you think that all the girls that you flirted to say yes to you?"

France didn't say anything for a while. England was started to freak out. France was supposed to say something rude to him but he remained silent.

"The girl, Lisa looked like her...no, I knew it was her."

"Who?"

France turned around him, smiling softly. "Jeanne d'Arc."

England flinched when he heard her name. He took a few breaths in attempt to calm himself. He closed his eyes as he remembered what happened five hundred and eighty-three years ago.

_~Flashback (May 30, 1431)~_

_Jeanne was tied to a tall pillar. England was there among the soldiers standing near Jeanne. They were listening to the sermon. A few of them started to cry but England held back his tears. He looked back to the cell where he put France. He remembered the other day when France tried to rescue Jeanne from her prison. He failed as England and his soldiers caught him. He turned back towards the girl and saw the scared look on her face. He turned his head away so he couldn't see her face. But he knew he had to do his part. His mouth was dry as he tried to speak. _

_"Do...do you have any last requests to make?" England croaked. _

_She looked at him with eyes that had a glimmer of hope in them. He didn't understand why she had that look. There was no hope for her. Her country has abandoned her and France couldn't save her since he got caught. _

_"Yes...I have two requests...I want someone to hold a crucifix in front before me and lastly..." She lowered her voice so only England could hear her. "I want you to free France please...I also want you to tell him that I love him and he must remain strong no matter what. God is with him. Tell him not to blame himself, please." _

_England's eyes widened as he heard what she said. He looked at her then back at the cell door that France was in._

_"Please..."_

_"Of course..."_

_Jeanne smiled at him. England turned away and ordered two clergymen, Fr Martin Ladvenu and Fr Isambart de la Pierre to hold the crucifix before her. He stepped down as another man, Geoffroy Therage went up. England could see that he was scared and his hands shook as he held the stake that was on fire. He slowly walked towards her and looked at her with an expression that was saying "please forgive me". Jeanne smiled sadly at him._

_Then she shouted in a loud voice, "I believed I did the right thing and I believed that I am right because God had guided me! Many people would have cursed you but I...I forgive all of you for what you are going to do to me."_

_Then she looked at Geoffroy and then to England. England flinched when she looked at him. However, he still met her glance, stared back and nodding as he promised silently that he will tell France. Jeanne smiled and look up at the sky. Geoffroy threw the stake and it lit the entire pillar on fire along with Jeanne. England heard her screams as the fire consumed her body and slowly and painfully reduced her into ashes. He wanted to shut his ears so he couldn't hear the screams and looked away but he stood there and listening and watching. It was awful for him to hear. She was screaming Jesus, Jesus many times and it went on for a few minutes. Then, she became silent but England could still hear the flames burning the body along with the pillar. After her body was fully burned, they burned her burnt body again so her body could completely reduced to ashes. England knew that the guards would be here to take the ashes away so he quickly bent down and took some of the ashes in his hand. Then the guards came and took rest of the ashes away. England knew they were going to throw her ashes in the Seine river. He was glad that he could saved some of the ashes. Then he walked away to look for a container to hold the ashes. After he found a container, he went to the cell where France was held in. He unlocked the lock and opened the door. He told the other guards to leave him alone and they left. He looked down at France and he was a mess. England didn't know how to start and both were silent._

_"France...I am sorry," he finally spoke._

_"DON'T SAY YOU ARE SORRY! Don't even speak to me," France yelled at him._

_Although, England knew that France was going to yell and be angry, he still took a step back, scared of what France was going to do next. However, France just started to cry and covered his face with his hands. England stood there in silence, letting him cry. After a few minutes, France spoke but it was very quietly._

_"Did she say anything before...before...she died..."_

_"Yes...she told me to tell you that she loves you and you must remain strong no matter what. She wanted you to know she doesn't blame you and you shouldn't blame yourself."_

_France started to cry more and even louder when England finished._

_"Oh Jeanne, oh Jeanne, I miss you so much. Why, why do you have to die? Jeanne, Jeanne, Jeanne." _

_England wanted to comfort him but didn't know any words of comfort. He knew it was best to keep quiet anyway. After a few minutes of standing there in silence, England finally spoke._

_"I saved some of her ashes. I know it is not much but it is something from her so you can remember her by."_

_He held out the container and France quickly took it. He didn't say anything else but stared at the container for a long time. _

_"You are free to go as long as you don't cause any more trouble," England spoke again._

_France lifted up his head and glared at him._

_"Does it matter?_

_"What?"_

_"Does it matter? You did it. You killed her. You won. How can we even cause any more trouble to you? You just accused her of crimes, she didn't commit! It is all for you benefit! You didn't want my people to have a matyr and want to make them doubt their king by making them think he was control by a witch. Plus your people don't want to look bad for executing an innocent person. Witchcraft and heresy! They are all lies to execute her."_

_"And how do you know that? Look at all the things happen to her or what she did, it is clearly witchcraft."_

_"I believe it is God's work!"_

_"You don't know that! Besides, there are also other crimes she did commit." _

_"Yeah, like dressing in men clothes? What a stupid reason! It was to fight in a war!"_

_"It is not a stupid reason! We both know God forbid for any gender to wear clothes of the opposite sex."_

_"I know that but God allowed her!"_

_"Again, we don't know if she actually heard voices from God!"_

_"How dare you accuse her of a liar when you, your church and leaders are liars themselves?" France yelled._

_The two were silent while trying to catch their breaths. France glared at England and he glared back. They continued glaring until England broke eye contact. He looked down at the floor and his face changed into a guilty expression._

_"I know she is innocent and I tried but they won't listen to me."_

_"I don't care! You could have prevent this!"_

_"How?"_

_"You could have freed her or help her escape but you didn't. When she escaped, you helped your people caught her."_

_"It was my duty!"_

_France only glared at England. He was too upset and sad to even think properly. The guards came back in and stood in front of England while casting looks at France. _

_"We heard shouting, sir. Is everything alright?" the guard asked._

_"Yes, everything is alright. You can now show him the way out."_

_The guard nodded and took France by the arm, roughly. Then they both went outside while England stood there in silent. He made sure the guard and France was a far distance away from here and fell down. He closed his eyes as tears slowly fell down from his face. It was true that he hated France. They were enemies for a long time. However, what his country did was cruel and against his morals but yet, he let them do it anyway. France's words stabbed him in his heart. He knew that the deed was done and he couldn't do anything now to stop it from happening. France was too angry to realize that. He knew Joan forgave him but he knew France would never forgive him for this day._

_~End Flashback~_

He opened his eyes and saw France looking at him. It wasn't an angry look but a serene one.

England finally spoke, "Well...I have to go..."

He quickly turned around to leave when France called his name.

"Wait, Angleterre."

England stopped. He tried to calm himself as he turned to face France. He prepared for the worse.

"Whe...when she died, I felt really sad. She was the whole world to me. She was courageous...different from the others. She had that glow, that feeling that she was special to everyone especially to me."

"I know and I am sorry for what happen centuries ago. If I could go back in time, I would fix my mistake."

"I know and I decide to forgive you."

"Forgive...but why?"

"It had been many centuries and besides if you look back at it, we were enemies. You had to listen to your king and besides, anyone would do anything to defeat their enemy. Besides, after seeing Jeanne again as another person, I felt happy and free. I got my wish to come true."

"Wish?"

"That I get to see Jeanne again and that she would be living a normal, happy life."

"..."

"You never know maybe you would see Queen Elizabeth again."

England's chest tightened at the sound of Elizabeth's name. France could see the hurt in England's eyes. He stood up and hugged him. England's eyes widened in surprise and it took him a few minutes to realize that France was hugging him. It wasn't an inappropriate hug like he usually tried to do to England but his hug was filled with warmth and sadness.

"And you know what? After seeing Jeanne again, I also realize something. There was someone that was also hurt by Jeanne's death and it was you. I never forgave you. I saw that hurt look in your eyes but I was too angry to understand. I am sorry for that."

England stared to sob uncontrollably. "No, I... am the one... who should be sorry...Thank you... thank you for forgiving me."

France held England as he sobbed into his arms. This was the first time seeing England crying so much. He knew England was always too proud to cry in front of France or anyone. While England was crying, France grabbed a box of tissues near him and gave it to England. He didn't want England to keep dirtying his new shirt. England took the tissue and wiped his eyes. After England finished crying, he stood up and threw the tissues in the garbage. Then he looked at him with a serious expression.

"You will tell nobody about this," England said.

"About what?" France teased.

"You know what!"

"Of course, I would not dare tell a soul about the fact that the Great Britain was crying in my arms," France continued teasing.

"Shut up!" England said, blushing as he walked towards the door.

He held the knob for a few seconds and then turned around again.

"Thanks," he said, opened the door and left.

France smiled and whispered, "Thank you, Jeanne."

Author's note

In case anyone is confused, the day England came to France is not the day of the anniversary of Jeanne's death.

I did some research on Joan of arc in general but I am only going to give a brief summary of her execution and why she was executed. The judges had judged her with so many crimes such as witchcraft and heresy. The trial went on with the judges trying to prove her guilty or had her say that it wasn't God she heard. They tried to have her tell them the details of her visions which she never told them. They also tried to prove that she was a witch so the French would think the Charles VII was control by a witch and that Joan would not be a martyr for the French people. During her imprisonment, she did escape many times but to be caught again. Before her execution, an English soldier felt pity for her and gave her a small wooden cross which she put it in her dress. I don't know if she said a speech before she burned, I just put it there to give it an effect. When she was tied to the cross, two clergyman, Fr Martin Ladvenu and Fr Isambart held up the crucifix in front of her until she died. They burned her body twice and threw the ashes in the Seine river. Her effect had a big impact on people. Many people including the executioner, Geoffroy was afraid of being damned for what he did. Thanks for reading.


End file.
